Relaxation is essential for everybody’s life. By relaxing, we can release the tension from our mind and body by allowing rest and revitalization.
But it is seen people don’t feel relaxed even while sleeping because the filled-in tension in the daytime is so high that sleep can't function properly. For this reason, many people don’t feel relaxed even if sleeping for the whole time. They continue to worry even during sleep. People wake up in the morning still exhausted and tired. Again, they accumulate stress and tension during the daytime and can't sleep at night. This vicious circle goes on and slowly people end up with insomnia and depression, thereby resulting in various diseases like high BP, indigestion, and many more.
It is for this reason that people need a systematic technique of relaxation. Sleeping is necessary but apart from sleep, an alternative supplement is needed to overcome stress, anxiety, and worry from life.
Relaxation begins with Shavasana. The word Shavasana is explained as ‘Corpse Pose’ or dead man’s pose or the pose of relaxation. But scriptures say, Shavasana as:
उत्तमाणं शववत भूमौ शयनं तु शवासनं,
शवासनं श्रमहरण चित्तं विश्रन्ति कारनम्।
The meaning of the sloka is: Relax the whole body on the floor like a dead person, Shava, inert body. What is the nature of a dead body? It is still, not sense, not tight but stillness of the senses. So, in Shavasana, the body has to be still, and mental activity has to cease. ‘Chitta Vishranti’ means it allows the mind to rest. For this reason, Shavasana is also known as ‘Vishram asana’. It is called ‘asana’ because to practice Shavasana the body has to be in a specific pose, still, without any movements. The body posture has to be correct and perfect. Shavasana is generally practiced when the body feels tired after practicing asana or in between asanas to relax the tension of the body. Vishram asana is a state where you are without any effort, without action, without spikes and agitations of the mind.
Practice Note of Shavasana:
1. Legs: Shavasana is not merely lying down on the floor. Some people keep their legs together, some keep them apart. But the scripture says, the feet should be the same width as the width of the hips. So, there will be no tension or muscular discomfort in the legs. All muscles will be normal position without any contraction or stretch.
2. Hands: Hands should not be too far or too close to the body. But ‘ek bitt door’ that is nine to ten inches from the body. Ek bitt is the length of the palm from thumb to little finger when you stretch all the fingers fully. When you place your hands like this, all the fatigue, tension, and tiredness will go.
3. Palms: In Shavasana, the hands are placed palms facing upward, fingers loose and relaxed, not tight, and a little bit curled.
4. Mouth: The mouth should be closed with the lower jaw relaxed. Generally, while you are in a lying posture, the tension of the mouth is in the lower jaw region.
5. Face: The face should be in a relaxed position. The thing is that even if you try to make conscious efforts to keep the face in a relaxed position, you can't be successful. But if you allow the lower jaw to relax, in a few minutes your facial muscles will be relaxed.
6. Shoulder: The shoulder and throat muscles should be in a relaxed state. For this, a small pillow or thin blanket may pl placed under the shoulder which helps to relax shoulder and throat muscles. Many people find difficulty in breathing while practicing Savasana, so a small pillow can help them practice smoothly.
7. Head and Spine: The head and spine should be in one line. The head should not be tilted from side to side.
So, if all body parts are in a relaxed state, all physical movements will gradually diminish, and a feeling of stillness will be established.
Benefits of Savasana: The purpose of the Savasana is to remove physical fatigue and relax the greater mind. That means removing physical tension and mental tension.
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